TECH SPOTLIGHT

Advanced Light
Cure Adhesives
Take a closer look at what these environmentally
friendly adhesive systems can do

Master Bond Inc. 154 Hobart Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601 USA

Phone +1.201.343.8983 | Fax +1.201.343.2132 | [email protected]
Advanced Light Cure Adhesives
Environmentally Friendly Light Cure Adhesives Improve
Safety, Lower Cost
Our new adhesive technology, which we call Master Bond
LED401, is the first of its kind. It required the development
of a proprietary curing agent that not only allows it to cure
fully under a visible light source but also preserves a wide
range of desirable engineering properties. Here’s a closer
look at what this novel adhesive technology can do:

Cures Fully With No Surface Tack

There have been previous attempts to shift light cures to
longer wavelengths, and there are plenty of products on
the market that do cure at or close to 400 nm. However,
none of these attempts has been entirely successful due
to a curing defect known as oxygen inhibition. This defect
occurs when atmospheric oxygen curbs the free-radical
Master Bond LED401 cures quickly and tack free
polymerization process that cures almost all UV adhesives.
under safe, low-cost LED light sources.
Its telltale sign is a tacky, partially cured surface.

Light cure adhesives already have a compelling value Oxygen inhibition is most pronounced in applications
proposition thanks to their easy application and fast cure. that lack a barrier to atmospheric oxygen. For example,
Our latest technology breakthrough makes these adhesives oxygen inhibition would tend to be worse in a conformal
even more valuable by enabling a cure to take place under a coating application with an open air cure than it would be
visible light wavelength of 405 nanometers (nm). in an application that put the adhesive between layers of
glass. Applications with thick adhesive cross sections also
Traditional light cure adhesives, by contrast, cure under
increase the potential for oxygen inhibition, which in the
ultraviolet (UV) light sources with wavelengths between 250
past ruled out many potting and encapsulation applications.
and 365 nm.
A common strategy for minimizing oxygen inhibition is
A few dozen nanometers of wavelength may not seem like a
picking adhesives that cure under more intense, shorter
big deal, but the implications are profound from both design
wavelength UV light. Unfortunately, this strategy is at odds
and production standpoints. For design engineers, the ability
with a shift to longer wavelength cures.
to fully cure adhesives under visible light opens up a range
of bonding, encapsulation and sealing applications that were The Master Bond LED400 adhesive series eliminates this
previously not suitable for light cure products. Catch 22 altogether. Even with their less intense light
requirements, LED401 systems cure with a surface that’s
On the factory floor, shifting to visible light eliminates
the need for expensive UV lighting equipment in favor of best described as glassy smooth and completely tack-free.
inexpensive light emitting diode (LED) lamps. Because LED adhesives work with a wide variety of substrates,
commercial UV lights have the potential to cause eye injuries including those that block UV light transmission. They also
and skin burns, visible light also improves worker safety. cure deeply. The full cure extends from the surface down to
sections as thick as 1/8-inch and entails no sacrifice of final

Master Bond Inc. | Tel: +1 (201) 343-8983 | www.masterbond.com | [email protected] 2

physical or mechanical properties. This depth of cure makes
them suitable for use as an encapsulant, which has in the
past been a problem for conventional light cure products.

Maintains Engineering Properties

Master Bond LED adhesives have more going for them than
their breakthrough curing behavior. Once fully cured, they
offer a range of desirable engineering properties, including:
• Adhesion to a variety of glass, polycarbonates and
acrylics as well as many other polymers and metals.
• Chemical resistance to water, fuels and oils as well as
many acids and bases.
• Dimensional stability and low shrinkage.
Master Bond LED400 adhesives have advantageously
• Electrical insulation properties.
low viscosity and are easy to apply.
Most grades of our LED400 adhesives are optically clear.
For example, LED401 exhibits a very slight amber tint,
though this does not hinder light transmission in any
Drives Down Cost, Improves Safety
significant way. LED401 White, is an opaque white grade,
that has been formulated for applications that don’t require By driving down the cost and complexity of production
optical clarity. light sources, the ability to cure with visible light eliminates
the expense of buying, installing and maintaining
production UV lamps. These lamps, which can cost
thousands of dollars, represent one of the biggest capital
A Family of LED Cure equipment barriers to using UV adhesive systems.

Adhesives Master Bond LED400 adhesive series, by contrast, will cure

under any light source capable of emitting light at 405
Master Bond’s new line of LED adhesives are nm wavelengths with an intensity of 1-4 watts/cm2. Many
available in different grades to meet a variety of off-the-shelf LED lights, including inexpensive spot lamps,
bonding, encapsulation and coating needs: will meet this criteria, though it’s worth confirming the
specifications of the light with its vendor just to be sure.
• LED401 is a one-part, no-mix, solvent-free
Under the right light source, cure times are fast. In thinner
compound offering high bond strength and wide
sections, full cures can be achieved in 15-30 seconds—or
substrate compatibility. It also delivers superior
sometimes less. Thicker sections do require longer cure
moisture resistance.
times, but usually less than 1 minute.
• LED401LV is a one-part, low viscosity, optically Moving to visible light sources also eliminates a potential
clear system. It cures quickly and develops a high
safety hazard from the shop floor. While most UV cure lines
bond strength and excellent dimensional stability.
run safely day in and day out, they do carry the risk of eye
• LED401 White, a higher viscosity system than injuries and skin burns if their operators are not careful. The
LED401, is totally opaque, with a white color. lower intensity LED lights used for our new adhesive line
Like LED401, it has excellent physical strength pose no such threat.
properties and can cure in sections up to and
beyond 1/8 inch thick. For further information on this article, for answers to any
adhesives applications questions, or for information on any
• LED403Med is a one-part, high viscosity Master Bond products, please contact our technical experts
system intended for medical applications. It too at Tel: +1 (201) 343-8983.
cures tackfree without any oxygen inhibition.
LED403Med meets USP Class VI specifications
and passes the ISO 10993-5 Cytotoxicity test.

Master Bond Inc. | Tel: +1 (201) 343-8983 | www.masterbond.com | [email protected] 3

 Light Cure Adhesives from Master Bond

Shelf life at 75°F

original unopened
Master Bond Viscosity, Service Temperature
Color containers Description
Grade 75°F Range, °F
(with no exposure to
light)

Outstanding optical clarity; excellent

light transmission. Very good dimen-
sional stability and high bond strength
with superior adhesion to surface
100,000- -60°F to +250°F
LED401 Clear 6 months treated metals, glass and many plastics.
150,000 cps [-51°C to +121°C]
Superb electrical insulation properties.
High viscosity yet maintains flowability.
Very good chemical resistance to water,
many acids, bases and oils.

Excellent physical properties, includ-

ing outstanding dimensional stability,
superb electrical insulation proper-
60,000- -60°F to +250°F ties and superior chemical resistance
LED401LV Clear 6 months
80,000 cps [-51°C to +121°C] to water, many acids, bases and oils.
It also bonds well to a wide variety of
substrates, such as glass, polycarbon-
ates and acrylics.

High viscosity system has excellent

physical properties and is opaque white
Totally in color. It has outstanding dimensional
LED401 >350,000 -60°F to +250°F
opaque, 6 months stability, superior electrical insulation
White cps [-51°C to +121°C]
white properties and resists many chemicals.
Prior to cure, it has a high viscosity con-
sistency, yet remains flowable.

Widely used in the manufacture of

disposable medical devices. Excep-
tional physical properties; high viscos-
ity. Very good dimensional stability;
100,000- -60°F to +250°F
LED403Med Clear 6 months lower shrinkage upon cure. High bond
150,000 cps [-51°C to +121°C]
strength with superior adhesion to
surface treated metals, glass and many
plastics. Meets USP Class VI and ISO
10993-5 cytotoxicity requirement.

Master Bond Inc. | Tel: +1 (201) 343-8983 | www.masterbond.com | [email protected] 4